This invention relates to high-intensity discharge lamps, of the type comprising an arc tube enclosed within an outer envelope, and, more particularly, to a high-intensity discharge lamp having a fuse to prevent the formation of destructive power arcs within the outer envelope.
One such lamp is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,965, dated Oct. 23, 1973, issued to Collins et al. The Collins lamp utilizes a self-shorting arcing fuse to prevent the possibility of a destructive power arc forming within the outer envelope if air should leak into the outer envelope or should the arc tube fail resulting in a partial pressure of gas in the outer envelope. The fuse is provided within the outer envelope to extinguish such an arc safely and end the life of the lamp.